Joe Montana (four titles) and Vince Lombardi (five titles, 9-1 playoff record) are acclaimed as the greatest QB and coach of all time. Both could see their mythical titles at least challenged in the next two weeks.

Tom Brady (116 more wins than losses during the regular season) and Peyton Manning (93) have both topped Montana's previous record of 79. Brady could tie Montana and Terry Bradshaw with his fourth Super Bowl ring and pass John Elway for most Super Bowl appearances with six. Manning could be the first QB to win Super Bowls with two different teams.

Bill Belichick is one playoff win shy of Tom Landry's record of 20 and one regular-season win of reaching the top five with his 200th win. He has won at least 10 games 11 years in a row in the salary cap era. Even his failed stint in Cleveland includes one 11-win season and the Browns' only playoff win in the past 20 years (against the Patriots).

James no Jordan

LeBron James should be challenging Michael Jordan the way Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are stacking up to Joe Montana's legacy. At age 29, he already has 22,000 career points, more than Larry Bird. His shooting percentage has climbed seven years in a row, to a ridiculous 59 percent his year. He's won back-to-back titles.

But instead of being celebrated, James is ridiculed. "LeBroning" has gone viral (even making the "Today Show"), with kids flopping dramatically to the ground in school hallways at the slightest touch to spoof James. Michael Jordan never had to beg for fouls. James does it so much he's become a punch line.

Mixed blessings

The Bulls, once 12-18 and without Derrick Rose for the rest of the season, trade Luol Deng and immediately win four of their next five games. Credit coach Tom Thibodeau. But also blame Thibs for Jimmy Butler playing a team-record 60 minutes in his second game back from a thigh injury. Thibodeau has previously worn down Rose, Deng and Kirk Hinrich with too-heavy loads. The Bulls need Thibodeau as a coach, but Bulls VP John Paxson or GM Gar Forman need to give Thibs an intervention to keep him from running players into the ground. Thibodeau's one flaw is he has never learned an NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint.